Daily Career Connection

How important is your personality when it comes to choosing a career? It is fairly obvious that there is a link, but just how significant is it and can you use this information when choosing your own career or helping your children investigate suitable jobs?

You might be interested to know that there are theories of vocational choice out there - something I didn’t know until I started training as a career advisor. Given that so little time and thought is generally devoted to careers guidance in schools and colleges, it’s hardly surprising that these theories aren’t talked about more widely.

John Holland’s theory is based on the fact that like attracts like, or that people who are similar hang out together and like particular types of job. He categorized us into six types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.

Jobs fit into these categories as well - you can guess quite easily where quite a few careers would fit. Of course, human beings are a little more complex and we don’t fit so neatly into boxes. It is highly likely that you have tendencies from more than one of the six groups. In fact, the Party, a game, based on this theory suggests that each of the six types is represented by a group at a party.
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Nursing is a hard job. A registered nurse has to know everything from the science of starting an IV to the different drug interactions found in patients, to the symptoms of hundreds of diseases. Holistic nursing involves taking care of the whole patient and makes for a very long day. Add to that the fact that the average hospital floor nurse has 6 patients per shift and needs to meet all their needs, and you can see why nurses are always on the move. However, most nurses report great satisfaction with their work. Financially, registered nurses are well compensated.

Average Salaries

According to Salary Wizard, the average median salary of a registered nurse is $59,061 per year. When you think about it: that is an excellent salary for a professional who only has a Bachelor’s degree and has passed the state certification test. Many professions (education for one) do not offer that as a median salary for their Masters level professional. A starting salary for an RN depends on the company and type of facility; however the starting salary for a graduate/fresh-out-of-college nurse is $43,000.
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1. Browse through employment postings on the web, especially sites that specialize in education jobs. These include Education Associations (i.e. Connecticut Education Association), local newspaper homepages,

2. Attend job fairs (many colleges with education schools have these). Generally schools are looking for teachers in March to June although August and December are other times that many districts have some turnover.

3. Tell everyone you know you are looking for a teaching position. Aunt Charlotte may work in the town hall or school system and hear about openings before they are posted.

4. Follow deadlines for the district you are applying to. Generally if you miss a deadline your out of luck unless they have not had a sufficient number of applicants (call to find out if you can still apply).
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The need for skilled healthcare workers is increasing in proportion to the needs of our rapidly aging population. The field of diagnostic medical imaging is one area in which the demand currently is high and is expected to remain so for quite some time. It could be quite worthwhile for those thinking of entering the field of allied healthcare to consider a career in medical diagnostic imaging.

Diagnostic imaging is a catch all description that encompasses a number of allied healthcare specialties related to the imaging sciences. The three primary fields we will discuss are radiologic technology, ultrasound technology, and nuclear medicine technology.

Radiologic technology, more commonly known as x-ray technology, is perhaps the largest of diagnostic imaging fields. The radiologic technologist is the individual responsible for taking x-rays in hospital, office, and clinical settings. The training program for an x-ray technologist is usually 2-4 years, and will lead to either a bachelors or associates degree. Programs are offered through colleges and universites, some hospitals, and the military. Once certified, the radiologic technologist can further advance their career options through advanced training in a number of specialty areas. Among them are MRI, Cat Scan, mammography, and interventional radiology.

Nuclear medicine involves the use of radioactive materials within the body to produce images used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear medicine technologists are responsible for preparation of radioisotopes and operation of the nuclear medicine camera. The majority of nuclear medicine technologists are employed by hospitals, with a smaller number employed by imaging centers and cardiology offices. The training period for this imaging specialty is usually 2-4 years. One year certificate programs are available for those who already possess a degree in a related imaging field.
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